Grief and anger filled the air on Saturday as residents of Munga Lalau and Munga Doso in Taraba State laid to rest scores of villagers killed by suspected herdsmen in a brutal overnight attack.
The assailants, over 50 in number, stormed the two communities in Karim-Lamido Local Government Area around 2am on Friday. Armed with AK-47s and machetes, they arrived on motorcycles and opened fire on sleeping residents, setting homes ablaze and killing at random.
Eyewitnesses and survivors described a night of horror. “We have counted 42 bodies so far, with many still missing,” said a soldier who joined the rescue mission. Others, like Soja Emmanuel, narrowly escaped. “They came shooting. We ran into the bush. Some never made it,” he said.
The mass burial, conducted by soldiers and community members, was filled with tears and sorrow. “This is no longer random violence. This is an attempt to wipe us out,” said Suleiman Joel, chairman of the Munga Youth Forum.
Residents blamed herdsmen for the massacre. Augustine Munga, a local leader who lost two brothers, called for urgent government action. “People who returned to their homes based on security promises have now been killed. What do we tell their families?” he asked.
Governor Agbu Kefas condemned the killings, describing the attack as “horrendous and unacceptable.” In a statement issued by his media adviser, the governor promised to bring the killers to justice and urged citizens to support security agencies with information.
“We must work together to stop this. I will do all within my power to secure Taraba,” Kefas said.
The state police confirmed the incident and said their operatives responded quickly, forcing the attackers to flee and abandon a motorcycle. However, the damage had already been done.
This attack adds to a disturbing pattern of violence in Nigeria’s North, where hundreds have been killed in recent months. Farmer-herder clashes, banditry, and terrorism continue to threaten lives across Plateau, Benue, Zamfara, Kaduna, Niger, and Borno states.
Only last month, over 50 people were killed in coordinated herdsmen attacks in Benue, while similar assaults in Plateau and Borno left dozens more dead.
As the killings continue, many Nigerians are left wondering when lasting peace will return to their communities.
